Rotary spool rack



United z s tates Patent ROTARY sPooL RA'CK V Bernard H. Best, 12 Ram:Drive, Plainview, N.Y.

Filed Au 7,195, Ser. No. 832,539 '2 (Cl. 242 -139 This invention relates,to a novel rotary rack for hold- 20, to the extent necessary to obtainthe desired overall quickly iand easilyureached and removed from the'pins for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the characterindicated above whose drum is longitudinally extensible andcontractible, so as to accommodate the drum tobeing mounted on andbetween supports which are spaced at different distances from eachother, such as the side panels of difierent size drawers or differentlyspaced mounting brackets, and to accommodate a greater or less number ofspool-supporting pins.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter indicated above wherein the drum is composed of telescopedsections which are formed with pin retaining holes, in which pins areadapted to be removably and securably engaged, certain of the holes inthe two sections, and related pins, being utilized as means for securingthe sections relative to each other in adjusted positions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a rugged andserviceable device of the character indicated above which is uncomplexin construction, is composed of a small number of simple and easily madeparts, and which can be made in attractive forms, at relatively lowcost, from a variety of suitable metallic and non-metallic materials. A

Other important objects and advantageous features of the inventionwill'be apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings,.wherein,' for purposes of illustration only, a specific formof the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a contracted and fragmentary top plan view, partly insection and broken away, of a device of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1, broken away to show drumstructure; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line 33 ofFigure l.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated device,generally designated 10, comprises an axially elongated hollow drum 12,made of metal or plastic, having limited resiliency andhavingsubstantial rigidity, comprising an inner preferably tubular section 14,having an open inner end 16 and a closed outer end 18, and an outerpreferably tubular section 20, having an open inner end 22 and a closedouter end 24. The inner section 14 is slidably telescoped into the outersection length for the drum 12. I

The closed outer ends 18, 24 of the sections 14 and 20 are formed withthickened bosses 28, respectively, which preferably extend axiallyinwardly in the sections, the bosses being formed therethrough withsmooth axial journal bores 30, which extend to shanks 34 of relatedmounting screws 36 and 38, respectively, which are threaded in supportslocated at the opposite ends of the drum 12. I p

The side walls 40 of the drum sections are formed with preferablycircular holes 42 which are arranged in circumferential rows, and instaggered longitudinal rows, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Spool holdingpins 44 are removably and securably engaged in the holes 42.

*As shown in Figure 3, the pins 44 preferably comprise elongatedhollowbodies46 having closed inward end portions' or plugs 48 ofsubstantial cross section, which are substantially plane cylindrical inform, and which are of a diameter to make frictional engagements in thedrum holes 42, suflicient to preclude the pins being pulled out by theweight of sewing thread spools 50 engaged thereon or b'y-thepullexertedon the pins by removal of spools therefrom while'providingforf manualdisengagement of the pins from the holes, when necessary. The plugs 48can, for this purpose, be somewhat outwardly tapered from a diameterslightly larger than the holes 42, so as to achieve a plug fit wheninserted in the holes, or the plugs can be left with or provided with,in the course of their manufacture, roughened exteriors so that theplugs grip the edges of the holes, some reliance for retention of theplugs in the holes being made on the resilience of the drum side walls.

The pins 44 have relatively thin and resilient, circular side walls 52,which extend outwardly from the plugs 48, and are belled intermediatetheir ends, as indicated at 54, and having a slight outward taper totheir outer ends 56, to a diameter easily insertible in the bores'58 ofthread spools 50, with the belled portion 54 being larger in diameterthan the spool bores 58. The pin side walls 52 have thereincircumferentially spaced longitudinal slots 60 which extend from theouter ends 56 of the pin bodies 46 to points near to and spaced from theplugs, as indicated at 62. As indicated at 64, the inner ends of thebelled side Wall portions 54 are larger in diameter than the holes 42,so as to serve to prevent too far insertion of the pins in the holes 42.Engagement of spools 50 over pins 44 contracts the belled portions 54 ofthe pins and tensions these portions of the pins against the sides ofthe spool bores 58 so as to releasably secure the spools on the pins.

While various brackets and support elements can be used, in conjunctionwith the screws 36 and 38 at opposite ends of the drum 12 foroperatively and stationarily supporting the drum, the invention concernsprimarily the installation of the drum in a drawer 66, of such as asewing cabinet (not shown), the drawer having side panels 68 and 70,through which the screws 36 and 38 are severally threaded, as seen inFigure l, with the drum 12 positioned close to the front end panel 72 ofthe drawer. This arrangement provides for protective, spacesavingconcealment of the device, while providing ready accessibility thereto.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the plugs 48 of the pins 44 are longenough, so that when engaged through holes 42 in the outer drum section20, the plugs can engage in holes in the inner drum section 14, forholding the drum sections in longitudinally adjusted relation to eachother.

Although there has been shown and described herein a 7 preferred form ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that 2,944,761 Patented July 12, 1960any change or changes in the structure of and in the rela- 1. A spoolrack comprising a rotary cylinder having a side wall and ends, supportmeans for the rack engaged with the ends of the cylinder, andspool-supporting pins mounted on said side wall and projecting radiallyoutwardly from said side wall, said pins having outer and inner ends,said pins having resilient compressible portions spaced from their ends,said compressible portions being larger in diameter than the bores ofthe spoolsto be engaged on the pins, said cylinder side wall havingholes therein, and said pins having plugs on their inner ends which arefrictionally and removably engaged in said holes.

2. A spool rack comprising a rotarycylinder having a side wall and ends,support means for the rack engaged with the ends of the cylinder, andspool-supporting pins mounted on said side Wall and projecting radiallyoutwardly from said side Wall, said pins having outer and inner ends,said pins having resilient compressible portions spaced from their ends,said compressible portions said holes, said cylinder comprisingtelescoped tubular sections, holes of the sections being registrable inlongitudinally adjusted relations of the sections to receive pin plugsas means precludingendwise movement of the sections relative to eachother.

3. A spool rack comprising a rotary cylinder having a side wall andends, support means for the rack engaged with the ends of the cylinder,.and spool-supporting pins mounted on said side wall and projectingradially outwardly from said side wall, said pins having outer and innerends, said pins having resilient compressible portions spaced from theirends, said compressible portions being larger in diameter than theboresuof the spools to be engaged on the pins, said pins comprisinghollow resilient bodies having open outer ends and closed inner ends,said pin bodies having side walls which have outwardly belledintermediate portions defining said compressible portions.

being larger in diameter than the bores of the spools to 25 be engagedon the pins, said cylinder side wall having holes therein, and said pinshaving plugs on their inner ends which are frictionally and removablyengaged in References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATESPATENTS 843,190 7 Wilson Feb. 5, 1907 993,895 Smith et al. May 30, 19111,768,030 Burzi June 24,1930 2,646,891 Morgan July 28, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 926,466 France Apr. 21, 1947

